Abstract
The term left-behind children (LBC) refers to underage children who have been separated from their father/mother or parents for a long period of time. At present, there are few studies on the emotional and behavioral problems of three- to five-year-old LBC in poor rural areas of China. In this study, random cluster sampling was used to recruit caregivers of left-behind children (CLBC) aged three to five years in two poor rural areas in Hunan Province. General demographic data of LBC and their caregivers were collected via face-to-face questionnaires. Children’s emotional and behavioral problems were assessed by the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Among 557 LBC, the prevalence of a total difficulties score in an abnormal/borderline range was 27.6–50.6%. The most common problem of LBC was hyperactivity, with a rate of 33.6%. Compared with boys, girls had more emotional problems (p < 0.05) and fewer hyperactivity disorders (p < 0.01). Factors related to the emotional and behavioral problems of LBC were the LBC’s age, the number of sick people at home, and the CLBC’s willingness to take care of the LBC. The detection rate of emotional and behavioral problems of three- to five-year-old LBC in poor rural areas is higher than that of children of the same age in urban areas and Western developed countries. There were gender differences in hyperactivity and emotional symptoms. Poor care will increase the risk of children’s emotional and behavioral abnormalities.
Highlights
In recent decades, China’s economy has been developing rapidly but the distribution of public resources, such as education, health care, and employment, is still uneven between urban and rural areas, especially among the special group of left-behind children (LBC) in rural areas
LBC in China are scattered in poor rural areas without LBC care institutions, such as kindergartens, making it difficult for the country’s existing basic public health service policies and related mental health interventions to benefit this vulnerable group
This study found that the utilization of health services by LBC and their caregivers in poor rural areas was extremely low [2,3]
Summary
China’s economy has been developing rapidly but the distribution of public resources, such as education, health care, and employment, is still uneven between urban and rural areas, especially among the special group of left-behind children (LBC) in rural areas. China’s urbanization process, the number of young and middle-aged members of the rural labor force moving to cities has increased, and the number of LBC has increased. LBC in China are scattered in poor rural areas without LBC care institutions, such as kindergartens, making it difficult for the country’s existing basic public health service policies and related mental health interventions to benefit this vulnerable group. This study found that the utilization of health services by LBC and their caregivers in poor rural areas was extremely low [2,3]. Public Health 2019, 16, 4188; doi:10.3390/ijerph16214188 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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